The world woke to a shockwave that no one saw coming. The United States announced it had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and would assume interim control over Venezuela, guiding the nation toward a political transition. Within hours, global discourse shifted—from questions of sovereignty and diplomacy to the limits of American power in the Western Hemisphere.
Delivered personally by Donald Trump, the declaration left no room for subtlety. There were no talks of humanitarian corridors, no appeals to multilateral agreements, no softening of language. The message was direct: Maduro was removed, and Washington would temporarily “run the country” to stabilize governance and prepare for elections.
For years, Maduro’s regime faced mounting U.S. pressure. Sanctions choked the economy, diplomatic isolation deepened, and covert operations sought to weaken his control. His administration was widely criticized for authoritarian practices, human rights abuses, and economic collapse that drove millions into poverty and exile. Yet even his critics were unprepared for a move so swift and absolute.
What set this operation apart wasn’t just the capture itself—it was the U.S. openly taking the reins of a sovereign state. Officials outlined that American authorities would oversee security, energy infrastructure, and basic governance while coordinating a path toward civilian rule. Unlike past interventions relying on proxies or transitional councils, this was a direct managerial takeover.
The global reaction was immediate and fragmented. Allies wrestled with unease, caught between support for democratic outcomes and fear of precedent. Several Latin American governments warned that the move risked echoing the region’s interventionist past, even as some quietly welcomed Maduro’s removal. Adversaries denounced the U.S. for overreach, asserting that international norms had been shattered.
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